Coin container and dispenser



March 29, 1960 D. N. PLANT com CONTAINER AND DISPENSER Filed June 27, 1958 Fig. I.

N5 A H 3 4 INVENTOR. David N. Plant BY 4.1. A Aw AB w &5 Q Q UnitedStates COIN CONTAINER AND DISPENSER David N. Plant, Ross, Calif. Application June 27, 1958, Serial No. 744,950 2 Claims; (Cl. 229-923) This invention relates to new and useful improvements containers and dispensers for objects such as coins. The invention comprises a body of relatively thick sheet material and relatively thin laminae disposed on opposite faces of the body and provided with a plurality of apertures adapted to individually receive, contain and dispense coins. Coins are received in the apertures from one side of the body and removed from the other. The unit may be constructed of relatively inexpensive material such as paper stock.

The invention has a number of advantages. Thus, each aperture may be filled with a childs weekly allowance for removal by the child in accordance with suitable markings applied to the unit.

Similarly, the device has utility and function as a coin dispenser for school bank savings plans. The device is, in fact, an educational instrument to teach children'good habits in respect to the handling, conservation and responsibilities attendant money.

The dispenser may be manufactured relatively inexpensively. The simple manner of its use and operation is appealing to an inquiring mind and has considerable value as premium or advertising medium for banks, insurance companies or other business organizations.

Although the invention will be described in reference to coins, it is clear that objects other than coins may be used with the device for whatever purpose desired.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings in which similar characters of reference represent corresponding parts in each of several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of the coin-receiving side of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the reverse or coin-dispensing side of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view partially broken away of an individual coin holder viewed from the coindispensing side of the invention; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section taken substantially on line 44 of Fig. 2.

The drawings illustrate a sheet of relatively thick material indicated generally at A, a first or coin-receiving lamina B afiixed to one face of the sheet, and a second or coin-dispensing lamina C aifixed to the other face of the sheet.

Sheet A is formed of relatively thick material such as cardboard or like material, and as illustrated, is provided with a plurality of ovoid apertures 12 adapted to contain a coin in the plane of sheet A and defining relatively wide and narrow ends 13 and 14. As particularly appears in Fig. 3, each aperture 12 has been enlarged to receive a coin proximate the narrow end 14 by extending the equator or widest portion 15 of the defined ovoid toward narrow end 14 and terminating the extended equator abruptly as at 16 and short of the narrow end.

The narrow' end said slot being coincident with the enlarged portion 16.

2 14 extending beyond the extended portion 16 is preferably of less width largest denomination to be received equator or widened than a coin of the in' the aperture and the extended equator 15-16 isslightly wider than the coins to be received.

' Coin-receiving lamina B may be a sheet of paper.

dimensioned to correspond with sheet A one face thereof as 'by glue or the like.

Lamina B is provided with a plurality of slots 18 large enough to take a coin of the largest denomination used,

and afiixed toof each aperture 12.

Coin-dispensing lamina C is formed of sheet material and is afiixed to the reverse side of sheet A and covers the coin apertures 12. Lamina C has been scored as at 20 to define a plurality of tear lines or tear strips substantially coincident with the outline of apertures 12. The narrow end 22 of each tear line 20 has been arcuately truncated or cut off as at 23 to terminate short of and expose the adjacent narrow end 14 of apertures 12. This leaves a small recess facilitating finger access to upper margin 23 of tear strip 20.

It will be appreciated the dimension of apertures 12 and slots 18 may vary according to the size of coins to be used.

The invention is employed by inserting a coin as indicated at 24 (Fig. 4) into a slot 18. The inserted coin drops within the pocket defined by aperture 12. Laminae B and C align the coin with the plane of sheet A, and the coin is prevented from being removed from the slot. Thus, on inversion of the unit the coin will slide over slot 18 without passing therethrough and will be stopped short of the exposed or open narrow end 14 of aperture 12 by the dimensions of the aperture.

To remove coin 24, exposed narrow end 14 of aperture 12 permits upper end 23 of the ovoid shape defined by the tear line to be grasped by the fingers. The defined ovoid is then ripped along tear lines 20 permitting access to the contained coin.

If the device is employed, for example, as a selfmonito'ring dispenser for a childs allowance the front face of the dispenser may be marked to show the date or day when the child is entitled to open the bank and remove the previously deposited coins. Thus the markings shown at Fig. 2 may represent a sequence of 16 weeks with only the first week's allowance having been dispensed.

If the invention is to be used for dispensing materials or things other than coins it is obvious that such changes in aperture, slot design, shape, material modification, and the like are clearly within the purview of those skilled in the art. Thus, though the invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example of specific use for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that changes and modifications may be practiced within the spirit of the invention as limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a coin container and dispenser the combination including a body of relatively thick sheet material, a first lamina of sheet material afiixed to one face of said body and a second lamina of sheet material atfixed to the other face of said body, said body being provided with a plurality of apertures adapted to each receive at least one coin therein, each said aperture defining a lower portion of greater width than the diameter of the largest coin to be received therein and an associated upper portion of less width than the diameter of said coin, said first lamina being provided with a plurality of coin-receiving slots coincident with said apertures, said second lamina being provided with a plurality of tear lines substantially coincident with the mar 1 Patented, Mar. 29-, v 1960;

gins of each of said. apertures to define a plurality of tear strips, and said second lamina being apertured co incident said upper portion of each said aperture to provide finger access to said tear strips.

' '2. In a coin-receiving and dispensing device the comhination including a body of relatively thick sheet ma terial, said bodybeing provided with a plurality of spaced, substantially ovoid shaped apertures, the equator of each said defined ovoid being extended toward. the narrow end of the defined ovoid and terminating short thereof, said narrow end being of lesser width than the diameter of coins to he received therein, said extended equator being of greater width than the diameter of coins to be received therein, a first lamina of sheet material affixed to one face of said body, a second lamina of sheet material affixed to the other face of' said body, said first lamina being provided with a plurality of coin-receiving slots coincident with the terminal margin of said extended equator, said second lamina being scored to define a plurality of ovoid tear lines coincident with said apertures, the portion of said tear lines coincident with said narrow ends of said apertures being cut out to provide finger ingress to a said aperture.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 429,752 Camp June 10, 1890 1,587,987 Phelps June 8, 1926 2,415,859 Ancker Feb. 18, 1947 

